Hello and !! My name is Angela and I have been on this site since June 2012. Congratulations on taking your first steps to a brand new you and a new weight loss experience where you are supported by en entire community of like-minded people. This website is dedicated to helping people who want a healthier lifestyle including issues with eating healthy and exercising, as well as support forums where we talk about specific issues.

Setting out with the mindset that you are starting a whole NEW lifestyle, while using some things learning in WW or other programs you might have seen, you can definitely do this. It's all about MODERATION!! My diet consisted of Gummie Bears and SweetTarts when I started here, and I couldn't walk for more than 10 minutes. Now I am walking 4 miles a day and eating healthy food. But I NEVER gave up on anything that sounded the least bit fattening. All in moderation, they say, and it works. I hit the TastyKakes sale today, so I am allowed one per day and they should last me 2 weeks. And if I slip, I just walk another lap the next day, or no cake for me tomorrow! LOL Seriously, it's as easy as that. Making allowances for the things we really want and adding in all the healthy things that we can around it. I call it "eating backwards". You know you are going to eat the sugary stuff, so put that on your tracker and fill the rest of the day with healthy. It DOES work! I have lost 60 pounds, but have backslid this past month do to oral surgery that "forced" me to eat ice cream! (See what I mean, you can have "cheat" foods, you just have to make sure they aren't cheat DAYS or WEEKS!)

There is a team for everyone that joined the program the same week as you! To go there and join that team, go to SparkTeams and then select ‘SP Class’ and find your week. You will have a mentor running the team, so you will have some guidance and be amongst people starting the same week you did. Makes a good place to find a support buddy.

So welcome and enjoy! If you have questions, you can always reach out and send me a SparkMail, or stop by my SparkPage at the link below. We can do this together, with encouragement and support from others, and SparkPeople has really great resources for any kind of workout or condition!

Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, and Enjoy! Angela www.sparkpeople.com/mypage.asp?id=ANGRITTER Sparker since 06/18/12 Co-leader of Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease Team

I am looking to take on some new and supportedways of a changed healthy lifestyle. I'M 52years of age and I have high blood pressure high anxiety and have some weight to loose around 77 lbs. My youngest daughter is planning on getting married next spring. I like to walk but it is hard for me to do it by myself. I hope to get some support and some menus. I also like to swim. I also have a lot of free time to think about eating haha.

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